Sofa-bed



j '(No Model.) I

M. E. LEONARD. SOFA BED. No. 537,467. Patented Apr. 16, 1895.

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' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MARGARET E. LEONARD, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

SOFA-BED.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N0. 537,467, dated April 16, 1895. Application tiled May 2, 1894. Serial No. 509 ,835. (No model.)`

To all whom it may coi/wem.-

Beit known that I, MARGARET E. LEONARD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cleve land, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of- Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sofadeds; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in sofa beds, and it consists of such features as are hereinafter pointed out in the annexed claims. I

In my device I use a frame to support the upholstering for the base, which rests upon a sub-base, made integral with the ends of the sofa proper. Within the sub-base is a drawer whose front is of an even height, with the lower edge of the upholstered base frame. The sofa back is formed by a second frame which is pivotally secured to the upholstered base by a hinge, which, when the back is raised, holds the same away from the base, just about the thickness of the upholstering, and when the same is moved down its lower edge ,is drawn up closely against the rear edge of the upholstering of the base. The hinge is made in two parts, one being pivoted to the upholstered base, and the other is rigidly secured to the sofa back. In the accompanying drawings, Figure l, is an end view partly in section, showing the sofa back in a lowered position. Fig. 2 is an end elevation showing the sofa back, raised, and the drawer closed. Fig. 3 is a detailed View of a catch for holding the back when it is raised.

One of the principal features embodied in my invention is the attaining of a perfectly soft center where the hinged back and base are joined, thereby accomplishing what has hitherto been a serious short-coming of sofa beds. The hinge which I use also assists in raising the back by serving in the capacity of a pivoted lever, and the drawer with its castered legs makes a splendid support easily handled, and affording a repository for all of the articles necessary to make upa complete bed.

The sub-base comprises the legs L, the end nishing'panels f', and the tie pieces f, and

b4. The ends have fastened thereon, upon their inner side the strips b2 and b3, the ones b2 being designed to support the upholstered frame b of the base. B. The frame b is held upon the sub-base strips b2 in any suitable manner by screws, nails, dac.

It will be noticed that the upholstered base B. is not as wide as the sub-base. This is to aord a space on the rear side for the sofa back B when it is raised as shown in Fig. 2.

The drawer D slides between the strips b2 and b3, that is, the sides at d5 slide between them. These sides or ends are joined by the back d', the bottom and the front d4 having a handle d,"and two legs d2 which are pro vided with casters d3. In Figs. l and 2 it will be seen that the top edge of the front d4 of the drawer D is on the same lever with the top of the strip b2, thus always insuring the horizontal position of the back B' whether the drawer is opened its full distance or not. It also affords an additional advantage in that any warping of the frame b or the drawer sides or ends d5 will in no wise destroy the positive horizontal position of the back since it is supported only at its side edges by the rear end of the strip b2, and the drawer front d4. The framesband b are hinged by the device shown. The link H is pivoted at h tothe frame, one link at each end. The free ends of these links are pivoted at h to the projecting extensions H. which are rigidly secured to the frame b. By this arrangement the frames are separated when the back is raised and drawn together when it is lowered, thus allowing for a maximum thickness of upholstering upon the back, extending entirely flush with the edges of the frame b. Thus when this frame is drawn against the frame Z9 the upholstering is practically a continuous body across both frames. The lback B may be held in any suitable manner. 'The instance shown comprises two catches c one at each end which snub back of stops c placed upon the side arms A.

The upholstering U. U is at all times kept tightly together at the point u thus making a sightly sofa bed which will not become hard in the center, but which is as soft and easy at this point as any other.

IOO

I do not limit myself to the specilic details shown and described, but I do set forth and 'claim in the following claims the construc- 1. A sofa bed, comprising a suitable sup'l porting frame, supporting ledges therein, a base mounted thereon, a separate back portion adapted to be raised and lowered, such back portion at all times beingin engagement with the supporting ledges, hinges connecting the back to the base portion, suchY hinges having zo a part thereof rigidly secured to the back, and alink portion pivotally connected thereto and to the seat, substantially as set forth.

2. A sofa bed comprising a base or seat, a separate back contiguous thereto, hinges connecting the same, such hinges having one member rigidly secured to one portion of the bed and the other member constituting a link pivotally connected to the rigid member and pivotally secured to the other portion of the bed substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I aftix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

MARGARET E. LEONARD.

Witnesses:

L. B. LEONARD, E. P. FINCH. 

